Berman To Go All...The...Way With ESPN

ESPN has locked its longest-tenured broadcaster into a multi-year contract extension. Thirty-three years ago, sports announcer Chris Berman joined the fledgling Entertainment and Sports Programming Network as the anchor of SportsCenter and since then has become the most recognized face on the channel. The new deal for Boomer, as he is affectionately called by his colleagues, will begin in 2013 and at its conclusion, he will have worked for ESPN for nearly forty years.

One of the more polarizing figures in sports broadcasting as fans either love or hate his trademark style, Berman is a six-time National Sportscaster of the Year and will continue his duties as host of ESPN's NFL studio coverage, as well as play-by-play commentator on selected Major League Baseball games and the annual Home Run Derby.

In addition, a lifelong dream of his will finally come true this week when he calls the play-by-play for an NFL game for the first time in his career as part of ESPN's season-opening Monday Night Football double-header. Berman will be working alongside Trent Dilfer when his beloved Oakland Raiders take on the San Diego Chargers, airing in the Eastern time zone at 10:00 pm.

Are you a fan of Berman, or would you prefer that he'd go "back, back, back, back, back" and off of your television set?